With fuel prices on the rise in South Africa, it’s important for motorists to find ways to save money and make the most out of their fuel tanks. The reality is that there are thousands of tips on how to achieve better fuel efficiency, but all the tricks in the world won’t help if you’re harbouring a few driving habits that work against your strategy to save fuel.

That’s why we’ve curated a list of things that South African motorists should not do if they want to save fuel.

Here are 5 of the common mistakes that you should avoid making if you want to save fuel.

1. Idling For Extended Periods

Who among us hasn’t left their engine running while waiting for someone or just killing time between appointments? The problem is, idling uses up way more fuel than you might think. In fact, idling for just two minutes consumes the same amount of fuel as driving one kilometre. South African motorists should avoid idling their cars for extended periods of time, especially during rush hour traffic.

A general rule is that if you’re going to be stopped for more than 30 seconds, it’s best to turn off your engine.

2. Overloading The Car

Overloading your car doesn’t just pose a safety risk, it also lowers your fuel efficiency. Essentially, the more weight your car has to carry, the harder the engine has to work, causing it to consume more fuel. Some drivers tend to load their cars with unnecessary items, like golf clubs, luggage, and furniture, which makes the car heavy and less fuel-efficient.

Do what you can to travel light and only carry things that are necessary for your journey.

3. Excessive Use Of The Air Con

We’re blessed to live in a country with beautifully warm weather for much of the year. Of course, it can get a little… sweaty. It’s tempting to keep the air conditioning on full blast and treat your car like your own private fridge on wheels, but you may want to rethink this.

Using the air con in your car consumes a lot of fuel, possibly adding up to 15% to your fuel consumption. Instead of relying on your air con to keep cool, try opening the windows or using a sunshade to prevent your car from heating up when parking in the sun. Consider using the air con to cool the car down and then turning it off, and only use it when absolutely necessary or on long journeys.

4. Speedy Speeding

They say that speeding is relative. You’re definitely speeding when you drive 80 in a 60km zone, but you’re going too slow if you’re doing that on the highway. So when we talk about speeding, we’re talking about driving your car at a higher speed than is safe or legal.

And it’s not just about being safe (and legal), because speeding also increases fuel consumption. When you drive at higher speeds, your car uses more fuel to maintain the speed, and the faster you go, the more fuel you consume. The best we can do in this regard is to stick to the speed limit and drive at a steady pace to maintain fuel efficiency.

5. Neglecting Regular Car Maintenance

All of these tips can play a role in your fuel consumption, but we’d argue that this last one is the most important. Because it won’t always be hot, so the air con won’t always be a factor to consider, and if your commute includes frequent highway excursions, then there’s little you can do about driving at higher speeds.

But maintaining your car regularly? That’s something you can attend to regardless of who you are and when or where you’re driving to. You see, things like faulty spark plugs, clogged filters, or low tyre pressure can cause your car to consume way more fuel. Regular servicing, on the other hand, means that you can make sure that your car is running as efficiently as possible and goes a long way to avoiding unnecessary fuel consumption. As an additional benefit, servicing your car regularly also prolong the life of your vehicle.

What you might want to look into is a service plan, which helps you budget for these servicing costs – a factor that often encourages people to neglect their car maintenance.

Thankfully, the AA has a number of plans that don’t come with hefty servicing costs, allow you to budget better, and give you the freedom to choose your own timeframe.

Find out more about the advantages of getting a service plan from the AA right here.

Feel informed?

We hope that this information helps you to maximise your fuel tank and save your Rands cents on this unavoidable expense.

While you’re here, don’t forget that AA Inform is home to a range of useful tools and resources, including articles on the best vehicle finance options, free property valuation reports, and even a Fuel Consumption Calculator!